Multitasking - efficiency or procrastination?

Entertain Me
10 x 10
oil on canvas

This morning I found I was continually brushing my fingers on the painting messing up the foreground so finally I decided I'd have to go down to the garage, find a piece of wood and build a support to rest my hand on. On the way I came across some some towels bound for the laundry so I picked them up and headed for the laundry room. Of course I had to pass thru the kitchen to get there and I realized I hadn't had breakfast yet so I put scones in the oven to heat up and while I waited I surveyed the stack of last nights dishes. I caved in and filled the sink to wash them up, ate my breakfast and then tried to remember why I was downstairs - oh yah - the stick! This is the way my day goes and why I'm not very productive...
However I did get the painting done to the point of it being time to put it aside for a while. This is a scene from my hometown market which started up last weekend. Finally summer is here!

Hard faces or Faces are hard

Sweet Retreat
6 x 6
oil on doorskin

I'm having a tough time painting faces and I think it's because too much change in value, hue, intensity and the edges become hard. I'm feeling badly about the women looking a little on the tough side. These ladies were having a little time out while shopping the winding streets of a small town in France. People there carry a strange assortment of bags to haul home the groceries as they are way ahead of us in being 'green' and will not offer plastic bags at the grocery stores. I found my backpack worked well but the woman in pink leans towards economy opting for an orange garbage bag.

Looking forward to summer markets

Little Shopper
6 x 6
oil on doorskin

This was a scene near the Community Cafe that I didn't realize I had captured on my camera till I zoomed in and played with contrasts and saturation using Gimp (similar to Photoshop but free). I didn't spend long on this study especially when I found one of my dogs hairs permanently embedded on the board! But it was enough to give me a sense of the fun that can be had this summer when I have a chance to go to the market and the beach and collect resource photos! If only the weather would improve - we are still seeing snow.

DSFDF Study

Cabmania SOLD
6 x 6
oil on doorskin

When I saw the latest DSFDF challenge I was fascinated by the crush of taxis in the scene. Some day I'll have to go to New York City to see it for myself. I'll try this one again I think but with the buildings as well. I didn't want it to be too complicated first time around.

Riding or Painting

Community Cafe
16 x 20
oil on canvas

Do I ride or do I paint - this is my dilemma these days. In a month my husband and I are riding the Pyrenees from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean and as the days go by the battle between my two passions is escalating to the point where I'm chronically guilty for choosing one over the other - oh did I mention I have two dogs and two children as well! Well actually the two children are adults and the above painting was inspired two weeks ago when I helped my daughter move to her newest home in a quaint old area of Victoria, BC. It reminds me of where I grew up in the 60's - very hippy-ish. The cafe is apparently community owned and not sure how that works but as soon as I saw it I knew I had to grab my camera to capture the image and paint it. As it is a larger piece it has taken me all week and though I'm not finished it's time to let it hang on the wall for a while. I had a lot of fun with the reflections competing with the images coming thru the windows. Anyway I seem to be happy painting bicycles - maybe that helps me deal with not being out on one.